Chapter 17

Harry groaned in frustration. He leaned back in his chair, taking a break from deciphering the scroll. There were two books laid out on the small desk with a stack of four more books nearby.

He sighed and drummed his fingers on the surface of the desk. After a few moments, he stood up and walked across the room in three steps to the bed. Hedwig was sleeping on the blankets, breathing normally. Harry laid his hand on her pelt, feeling her heartbeat under his fingers. It was still strong, and her fur was soft and warm. Hedwig's ear flicked and her eyes moved underneath the eyelids, indicating a dream. Harry smiled slightly. But it wouldn't last forever, this peacefulness. Harry stroked the cat's pelt gently, feeling the magic he had been pouring into her to keep her alive and healthy. It was a temporary solution.

Harry looked back at the desk. If he wanted his plan to be successful, he would have to finish deciphering that scroll, and quickly since time was running out, for both him and Hedwig.

Hedwig suddenly woke up. She yawned and meowed. Harry looked down at her and she gazed back up at him curiously. Suddenly, a slash of pain ran through Harry. Harry grunted and his legs crumbled underneath him. He leaned against the bed, his eyes squeezed shut. His magic lashed out of him as Harry rode out the pain. It was only a few minutes, but it felt like hours when the pain finally faded away.

Harry opened his eyes to see the entire room in disarray. He reeled his magic back in before it could flare out of control again.

"Damn it, I don't have time for this," Harry growled.

Harry clenched his hair, the stinging pain bringing clarity into his mind. His hands dropped down and there was a slash of pain on his cheek. Harry blinked and looked at his hand. His claws had appeared and there was blood on his right hand. Harry reached up and touched the small gashes in his right cheek. His fingers came away with more blood on them.

Harry closed his eyes and focused his magic. He felt a warmth surround the gashes before it abruptly stopped. Harry's eyes opened and touched his cheek. The gashes were smaller, but still there. Harry sighed. He stood up, swaying slightly. He made his way back to the desk and sagged into the chair. He focused back onto the scroll and books. His head hurt and his magic kept fluctuating.

"Sorry, Alex...should've told you something's wrong with my magic," Harry muttered.

"Hey!" Hermione exclaimed.

Alex and Ginny looked up just in time to see Hermione dump a huge book onto the table, making an audible thud.

"Geez, what is that?" Ginny asked.

"I found this book on ancient history of France," Hermione said. "It looked interesting and I thought I would check it out during a break."

"This is your light reading?" Ginny asked. "Wait, why am I asking you that? Of course, it is."

"Shut up and listen," Hermione said, flipping through the pages. "Look at what I found."

She turned the book around and pointed. Alex and Ginny looked to see a familiar looking circlet.

"Hey, that's the circlet Harry's after!" Ginny hissed excitedly.

"Indeed," Alex said.

"It's called the 'Diademe de Calamite', or Circlet of Calamity," Hermione said. "The circlet was originally created in Belgium before being stolen and taken to France. It was stolen again and disappeared for a few years. It appeared in Egypt for a few years before there was this massive massacre. The circlet disappeared after that.

"Massacre? Over the circlet?" Ginny asked.

"This book doesn't say much about it. In fact, there's not even that much information on the circlet to begin with," Hermione said.

"Well, the circlet itself was found in Egypt, but if the jewel is missing, where do you think it may have gone?" Ginny asked. "Do you think it's in France or Belgium? Maybe they found the circlet's jewel and kept it there but couldn't find the circlet."

"Just assuming that is rather reckless," Alex said. "We have limited time and if we want to find the jewel before Harry, we have to have more information on where it could be located."

"This is all the information we could find on it," Ginny said. "We've been scouring dozens of books for hours now and no luck. Hermione finds a book on ancient French history and the circlet turns up. I think it's at least worth a visit to France, maybe Belgium too."

"You just want a reason to go to France," Hermione said.

"I have always wanted to go to France, but I thought it would be with my husband and son, not because of a manhunt for someone everyone thought was dead," Ginny said.

Ginny turned to look at Alex.

"Please, Alex," Ginny said. "It's the only lead we have at the moment, and the longer we take, the sooner Harry is going to get to that jewel."

Alex sighed and closed the book in front of him.

"Fine," he said.

"Yes! Finally!" Harry exclaimed.

Hedwig's head raised, startled from Harry's sudden outburst. Harry leaned back into his chair. He had finally finished deciphering the scrolls, pushing through the days to do so with no sleep in between. There were large dark bags under his eyes and he may or may not have started hallucinating, but a Pepper-up Potion seemed to have solved that. He picked up the many papers he had written notes on about the scroll. He looked them over.

"The circlet...and two bracelets?" he muttered.

Harry frowned slightly.

"Two bracelets," he hummed thoughtfully. "One water...one fire...resonates with the circlet...amplifier..."

Harry raised an eyebrow. He picked up another paper.

"Bracelets...dark magic, dormant in the bracelets...activation by water and fire..."

Harry frowned.

"So, one bracelet is activated by water from a magical source, and the other is activated by fire from a powerful source," he said out loud.

Harry tapped his fingers on top of the papers thoughtfully.

"A fire from a powerful source...regular fire isn't powerful enough, so what is?"

Harry's eyes widened suddenly in realization.

"A volcano," he exclaimed. "Magma is powerful and should be enough to activate the magic inside the bracelet. As for the water bracelet, it could be a waterfall; those are powerful, but it would have to have some kind of magical properties."

A small note caught Harry's eyes. He leaned in slightly and read the small note.

"The British...the British what?" Harry muttered thoughtfully. "What do these bracelets have to do with England? I thought these bracelets were from Egypt."

He looked at the ceiling.

"This is too much work," he groaned.

He heard Hedwig meow. He turned his head to look at the black cat. Hedwig was looking at him curiously. Harry sighed and stood up. He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. Hedwig got to her feet with some effort and shakily walked over to him. Harry gently picked her up and set her on his lap, petting her head.

"What could that note mean, Hedwig? What do these bracelets have to do with the British? Why would that scroll have a note that's unfinished?" Harry asked Hedwig.

Hedwig meowed in response. Harry sighed tiredly.

"Damn it, I'm too tired for this," he said, his eyes drooping shut. "That's strange; I've never been this tired before."

As he started to nod off, an idea came to mind. Harry gasped and his head jerked up.

"That's it!"

Hedwig yowled in alarm as Harry abruptly stood up. He caught her before she could tumble to the ground.

"Sorry," Harry said.

Harry put Hedwig on the bed and rushed to the desk. He grabbed at the papers and read them again, specifically the small note.

"Perhaps the British took the bracelets or at least have more information on them," Harry said, green eyes glinting in excitement. "We need to go to England, Hedwig."

Hedwig grumbled as she settled back on the bed, glaring at him for almost dropping her.

"Yes, yes, I already said I was sorry for almost dropping you," Harry said. "Don't get comfortable, Hedwig; we need to leave for England soon. If the British have anything about the bracelets, it'll probably be in Gringotts or the Ministry."

Harry winced as pain suddenly sprang to life in his body.

"Damn it, not now," he growled. "It's happening more often now."

Fatigue racked his body without warning, making Harry almost fall to the ground unconscious.

"We'll leave after a quick nap," Harry muttered.

Hedwig meowed in concern.

"I'm fine, girl," Harry said, hobbling over to the bed.

He collapsed, missing the bed by a few inches, unconscious almost immediately.